Gap closer



P. OSTENBERG Nov.

GAP CLOSER Filed Aug. 24, 1920 m mmawi w mmawi INVEMTOR A RNEY srrs PONTUS OSTENBEBG', OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

GAP CLOSER.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial No. 405,738.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PoNrUs OsrnNBnRo, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gap Closers, of which the following is a specification.

In irrigating land it is common practice to throw up ridges of earth to form rectangular basins, the basins being subsequently one after another filled with water. In throwing up these ridges certain ridging devices are used to form a series of parallel and spaced ridges over the land to be irrigated and then cross parallel ridges are thrown up to form the desired rectangular basins. But in throwing up the cross ridges each of the first set of ridges is cut through so that upon the completion of the ridging process the surface of the land presents a series of parallel unbroken ridges extending in one direction (the second set made) and a series of parallel ridges extending crosswise thereto (the first set made), each of these first ridges made having a gap between it and each side of each of the second and unbroken ridges. The series of gaps down one side of an unbroken ridge is usually left open so that water may flow into the successive basins, or each gap is filled more or less for a short time by the irrigator of the land as necessity occasions. But it is in practically all cases necessary that the series of gaps down the other side of the unbroken ridge be filled in before the irrigating is begun. This filling in is usually done by means of a hand shovel or a power operated shovel. By either of these methods the work is labo rious, consumes much time, and either requires the employment of help additional to that required for operating the ridging machine or greatly prolongs the work of the ridger operator as he must go over the land again with another machine to close the gaps desired.

It is the object of my invention to provide a gap closer operating in conjunction with the ridge former so that when the second set of ridges is formed the desired gaps are closed, thereby eliminating the necessity of a separate operation for that purpose. Another object of my invention is to provide a gap closer that may be automatically operated or manually operated. or both, and

that may be adapted for use on any form of ridging machine.

, In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elvation of a combined ridger and gap closer embodying my inven t1on.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connections to the scoop portion of the gap closer, part broken away.

The ridger proper may be of any suitable type such as a pair of side elements 11 arranged at an angle to the draft line of the device and spaced and supported by beams 2-2, draft bars being shown at 33. On elements 11 is bolted a bar 4 as at 5, and'carrying lugs 6-6 and 77 for at tachment of a scoop or shovel for gap clos- 111g purposes.

The gap closer as illustrated consists of the scoo 8 having draft arms 9-9 pivoted just back of the center of the side flanges 10-10 thereof as at 11 and to the lugs 6-6 on ridger bar 4, the lugs 67-6being sopositioned that scoop 8 is drawn parallel with the ridge 12 formed by the :ridging device and in close proximity thereto.

The scoo 8 is normally held in an operative position by means of a lug 13 mounted on the outer and forward portion of the outside flange 10 and an arm 14 having its lower end 15 turned inwardly to engage lug 13 and pivoted to draft arm 9 as at 16. Since pivotal points 11 are closer to the rear of scoop 8 than the front the scoop will maintain its position as long as there is a support for lug 13. -Arm 14 is normally held in engagement with lug 13 by a stop 17 mounted on draft arm 9 and a spring 18 connected to draft arm 9 forward of stop 17 and to arm 14 below stop 17 as shown. At 19 is shown an arm secured to the lower end of arm 14 as at 20 and extending a distance forwardly thereof and outwardly therefrom. To the upper end of arm 14 is attached a pull wire 21 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In operation the ridging device is drawn forward by a tractor or any suitable means, the elements 11 sinking into the loose earth and their inner sides gathering the soil together to form the ridge 12 but breaking the first formed ridges 25 as at 23 and 24 respectively. If gap 24 is to be left open then only one gap closer is used as shown, this device being drawn forward load of loose earth. When, however, it

reaches a position where the arm l9 contacts with the cut ridge 25 it swings the lower.

end of arm 14: backwardly against'the tencontact between lug l3 and part 15 of arm 14, whereupon the scoop 8 engages the ground andtums up on endon pivots 11, and empties its contents into the gap 23 formed by the ridging machine The scoop 8 revolves in a-circle through the successive positions 272829 to a normal position 30. Since the arms 914 were carried upwardly and overthe'filled gap on piv-- ots 11 the'spring lS immediately brings arm 14 back to a'normal position to receive and support the forward end of scoop 8 when it again reaches positionBO, this operation being'repeated when the next gap is reached. The scoop may be unlatched independently of arm 19 by manipulating the upper'end of arm 14 by wire 21 if so desired, or the arm 19 maybe omitted. n

The scoop is preferably not made a per nanent part of the ridger but is removably attached thereto and may be set aside when not required as informing the first set of ridgesand quickly and easily attached to a ridger when required to fill the gaps formed by; the ridgerin throwing up the second set of ridges.

Itis to be understood that the particular devices and mechanisms disclosed are to'be considered as illustrative'only, since any form or type of ridgingmac-hine may be p used and any suitable form of gap closer sion of spring 18 into a position as indicated by the dotted line at '26, and breaks or scoop may be used if they cooperate to secure thedesired result. 1

I .claimz t v 1; A gap closing device including a revoluble scoop and means operable by con tact with across ridge for-unlocking said scoop to permit the revolution thereof.

' 2. A gap closing device including a scoop, draft arms pivotally connected thereto and extending forwardly thereof and adapted to be attached to a ridging machine, a stop arranged at theforward end of said scoop, an arm pivotally mounted on said draft arms and normally in engagement with said stop, and means for diseng ging said arm from contact with said stop. I o

3. A gap closing device including a scoop, draft arms pivotally connected thereto and extending forwardly thereof and adapted to be attached to a ridging machinefa stop arranged at the forward end of said scoop,

an arm pivotally mounted on said draft arms and-normally inen 'agement with said said pivotal arm from said stop.

1 PoNTUs OSTE'NBERG. 

